Von der Leyen: Europe must become more independent

Europe must become more self-reliant in the face of unprecedented security challenges, which will strengthen the transatlantic alliance, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the Munich Security Conference, Report informs.

"We are now almost four years into the reckless aggression against Ukraine by Russia. We face the very distinct threat of outside forces trying to weaken our union from within. The return of overtly hostile competition and power relations, the European way of life, our democracies, the democratic foundations, and the trust of our citizens is being challenged in new ways on everything from territories to tariffs to tech regulations. Fundamentally, all of this points to a simple reality. In today's fractured world, Europe must become more independent. There is no other choice. Independent in every dimension that affects our security and prosperity, defense and energy, economy and trade, raw materials and digital tech. Some may say the word independence runs counter to our transatlantic bond. The opposite is true, and we've just heard it from State Secretary Rubio. An independent Europe is a strong Europe, and a strong Europe makes for a stronger transatlantic alliance. Today is the time for action, and I want to focus on Europe's plan for independence," she noted.